McKay Crossing Campground

La Pine, OR

4.4(94 reviews)

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About this campground

McKay Crossing Campground is located off the beaten path along Paulina Creek. It provides campers with seclusion from the main road and the tranquility of hearing the creek flow. This area is good for bird watching, particularly in the wetlands located west of the campground.

McKay Crossing Campground can accommodate RV, trailer or tent-campers however electric and water hookups are not available. All sites are equipped with a picnic table and fire pit and the campground has vault toilets available.

Paulina Creek divides this campground into two sections with sites 1-5 in one loop and sites 6-15 in an adjacent loop. A large waterfall is within a very short walk and brings the sound of falling waters to the camp sites near by.

Boating, swimming and fishing are popular activities enjoyed by visitors during spring, summer and fall months, while skiing and snowmobiling are popular during the winter. Anglers have the opportunity to fish in the surrounding clear, cold lakes and streams for abundant salmon and trout. Hikers and backpackers have access to a variety of trails in the area, including several in Newberry National Volcanic Monument. The Crater Rim Trail is a favorite high country trail, boasting vast stretches of forest, deserts and mountains extending from all sides of the trail. Nearby Peter Skene Ogden National Recreation Trail parallels Paulina Creek, passing several waterfalls along the way, as it ascends 8.5 miles to the spectacular Paulina Lake.

What campers say

McKay Crossing Campground sits beside a small waterfall and creek near La Pine, offering scenic, often peaceful primitive camping with several sites right on the water. Visitors note swimming spots and nearby trails, and sites accommodate trailers and tents. Facilities are basic—pit toilets, no potable or running water—and camps are dry. Wildlife, including bold chipmunks, is commonly seen. The access road (FS-2010) is unpaved and can be very washboarded for roughly two miles, and summer temperatures can be warm though breezes and creek swims help. Sites are low-cost but limited; weekend reservations are recommended if staying multiple days.

Our summary of 94 traveler reviews.